Know Coral Reefs

Coral reefs are the coral colonies formed from calcium carbonate shells of marine called polyps that symbiotic organisms called zooxanthellae miskroskopis. Coral reefs can be regarded as tropical marine ecosystems. These ecosystems are in a warm shallow sea and clean and is a very important ecosystems and biodiversity is very high. Usually grows near the beach in the tropics with temperatures around 21-30C. Some of the growth of coral reefs is the east coast of Africa, southern coast of India, Red Sea, offshore northeast Australia and baratl sea up to the Polynesian. Coral reefs are also found on the coast of Florida, the Caribbean and Brazil. Great barrier reef is karangterbesar Reef off the northeast coast Australis with about 2000 km long. Coral reefs are a source of food and medicines and protect beaches from erosion due to sea waves.

Coral reefs provide protection for the animals in their habitats, including sponges, fish (grouper, reef sharks, clown fish, sea eel, etc.), jellyfish, starfish, crustaceans, turtles, sea snakes, sea slugs, squid or octopus, as well as sea birds which the resources were located in the vicinity of coral reef ecosystems.

There are two types of coral reef of hard corals (hard corals) and soft coral (soft coral). Coral reefs are hard (like brain coral and elkhorn coral) is a hard coral limestone that form coral reefs. Soft coral reefs (such as sea fingers and sea whips) do not form reefs. There are several types of coral reefs of coral reefs that grow along the coast in the continental shelf are commonly referred to as a fringing reef, coral reefs grow parallel to the beach but a bit further out (usually separated by a lagoon), commonly referred to as barrier reefs and coral coral-like ring around the volcanic island called coral atoll.

Coral reefs are found in approximately 100 countries and is home to stay for 25% of marine habitats. Coral reefs are very fragile ecosystems in the world. In recent decades some 35 million hectares of coral reefs in 93 countries were damaged. When coral reefs are stressed due to rising seawater temperatures, ultraviolet light and other environmental changes, then he will lose simbiotiknya algal cells. As a result, the color will change to white and if the level of his very high stress can cause the coral reefs are dead.

If the rate of coral reef damage is not declining, it is predicted in coming decades about 70% of coral reefs of the world will suffer destruction. Sea water temperature rise of 1 to 2C can cause coral reefs become stressed and eliminates organisms called zooxanthellae miskroskopis which is a dye networks and provider of nutrient-nutrient basis. If zooxanthellae do not return, the coral reefs will be dead.